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About Air Quality And the Air Quality Index 
Air Quality Index Brochure (English/Spanish/Creole) PDF (359kb)
At the request of the public, environmental agencies had for many years tried to express the quality of the air we breathe in a fashion that could be easily understood. Early on, there were numerous indices utilized across the country. These indices were, in many cases, suited to local environmental concerns, without regards to the comparability from region to region. This led to confusion when the citizens traveled around the country. To alleviate this confusion, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the uniform Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) and subsequently the Air Quality Index (AQI), to be used by all agencies across the country.
The PSI was a numeric value and a verbal descriptor, which attempted to evaluate the air quality as it relates to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) . Since the inception of a uniform PSI in 1976, many steps have been taken to make sure that the index is relevant and sufficient to protect the public health. In 1997, the EPA replaced the previous 1-hour ground-level ozone standard, with a new 8-hour air quality standard after public health research indicated that longer exposure to lower concentrations of ozone were unhealthy to portions of the population. The new standard for ozone, which would offer greater protection to public health, reduced the allowable concentration from 0.12 parts per million (ppm), averaged over one hour, to 0.08 ppm, averaged over eight hours. By averaging ground-level ozone by 8-hours, the public is provided with a higher level of protection, especially those individual who spend a significant amount of time outdoors working, exercising or playing. Also in that year, a new particulate matter (PM) standard was created for fine particle, which is less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5). The EPA established PM2.5 standards because scientific evidence has shown that breathing fine particle air pollution can cause significant health effects. With the revision of the PM standard and the ground-level ozone standard, the EPA also modified the PSI to what is now the AQI. The AQI is now a human health based index.
Each of the pollutants measured is compared to a table of concentration values to determine its sub-index AQI. When all of the sub-indices have been determined, the highest value sub-index is reported as the AQI. The index provides general information to the public about air quality and associated health effects.
When the AQI is reported as 50 or less, the AQI is said to be in the "Good" range. Between 51 and 100 the AQI is in the "Moderate" range. Above 100 the AQI is in the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range. The complete table is as follows:
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AIR QUALITY
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AQI
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PROTECT YOUR HEALTH
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Good
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0-50
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No health impacts are expected when air quality is in this range. |
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Moderate
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51-100
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Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. |
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Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups
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101-150
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Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. |
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Unhealthy
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151-200
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Active children and adults and people with respiratory disease such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion: everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged
outdoor exertion. |
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Very Unhealthy
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201-300
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Active children and adults and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion. |
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Hazardous (Alert)
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301-500
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Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion, everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion. |
Broward County Environmental Protection Department (EPD) Air Quality Division calculates the AQI every other hour, daily. This index is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the Computerized Local Air Index Reporting System (CLAIRE) by calling (954) 519-1280.
Ozone Media Package
Particulate Matter (PM) Media Package
CHECK THE AIR QUALITY IN YOUR AREA
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2008 AIR QUALITY INDEX SUMMARY
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MONTH
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GOOD DAYS
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MODERATE DAYS
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UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUP DAYS
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UNHEALTHY DAYS
|
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JANUARY
|
29
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
FEBRUARY
|
29 |
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
MARCH
|
26
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
|
APRIL
|
27
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
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MAY
|
18 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
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JUNE
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
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JULY
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
AUGUST
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
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SEPTEMBER
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
OCTOBER
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
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NOVEMBER
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
DECEMBER
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
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TOTAL
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129
|
22
|
1
|
0
|
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PERCENT
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84.87%
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14.47%
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0.66%
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0%
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AQI incorporates pollutants Ozone, Fine Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide.
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2007 AIR QUALITY INDEX SUMMARY
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MONTH
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GOOD DAYS
|
MODERATE DAYS
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UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUP DAYS
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UNHEALTHY DAYS
|
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JANUARY
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30
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
FEBRUARY
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23
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
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MARCH
|
27
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
|
APRIL
|
27
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
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MAY
|
20
|
5
|
5
|
1
|
|
JUNE
|
22 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
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JULY
|
23
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
|
AUGUST
|
18 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
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SEPTEMBER
|
29
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
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OCTOBER
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31 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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NOVEMBER
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21
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
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DECEMBER
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31 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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TOTAL
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302
|
55
|
6
|
2
|
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PERCENT
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82.74%
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15.07%
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1.64%
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0.55%
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AQI incorporates pollutants Ozone, Fine Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide.
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2006 AIR QUALITY INDEX SUMMARY
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MONTH
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GOOD DAYS
|
MODERATE DAYS
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UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUP DAYS
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UNHEALTHY DAYS
|
|
JANUARY
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25
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
|
FEBRUARY
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28
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
MARCH
|
23
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
|
APRIL
|
24
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
|
MAY
|
19
|
11
|
1
|
0
|
|
JUNE
|
22
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
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JULY
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27
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
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AUGUST*
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22
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
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SEPTEMBER
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26
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
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OCTOBER
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31
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
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NOVEMBER
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26
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
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DECEMBER
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31
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
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TOTAL
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304
|
57
|
2
|
0
|
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PERCENT
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83.75%
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15.70%
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0.55%
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0.00%
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AQI incorporates pollutants Ozone, Fine Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide.
*Due to Tropical Storm Ernesto, there is no AQI for August 29 & 30. All sites were shut down.
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2005 AIR QUALITY INDEX SUMMARY
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MONTH
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GOOD DAYS
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MODERATE DAYS
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UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUP DAYS
|
UNHEALTHY DAYS
|
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JANUARY
|
30
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
FEBRUARY
|
28
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
MARCH
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24
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
|
APRIL
|
29
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
MAY
|
25
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
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JUNE
|
30
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
JULY
|
23
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
|
AUGUST
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30
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
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SEPTEMBER
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25
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
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OCTOBER*
|
24
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
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NOVEMBER
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30
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
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DECEMBER
|
25
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
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TOTAL
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323
|
37
|
0
|
0
|
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PERCENT
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89.72%
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10.28%
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0.00%
|
0.00%
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AQI incorporates pollutants Ozone, Fine Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide.
*The Air Monitoring sites were off line for 5 days following Hurricane Wilma.
Air Quality Index Summary Archive: 2001-2004
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